Revenue have advised that they have identified 16,000 VAT customers who can avail of the simplified filing arrangements. Revenue will be writing to those taxpayers in November in relation to simplified filing arrangements to commence on 1 January 2009. The taxpayers have to do nothing to qualify but may opt out if they wish.

The VAT simplified filing arrangement is as follows:

• for businesses with a yearly liability of €3,000 or less, the option of filing returns on a half-yearly basis is available.
• for businesses with a yearly liability between €3,001 and €14,400, the option of filing returns every four months is available.